Cruising with SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer: a Ruby Princess 3-year update

The Ruby Princess saves approximately 50 tons of cruising princessweight by using Somec’s light balustrade system made with SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer instead of a standard polyvinyl butyral (PVB) interlayer.

More than 5,000 square metres (53.820 sqft) of exterior laminated glass balustrades and windscreens protect passengers and crew of the cruise ship Ruby Princess, one of the largest vessels in the Princess Cruises fleet.

Strong, light, weather-durable SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer helps the Ruby Princess offer memorable vacation views without compromising passenger safety.

The Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri adopted a new, light balustrade system from Somec Marine & Architectural Envelopes SRL (Italy), featuring the SentryGlas® ionoplast interlayer laminate, in order to reduce weight while ensuring compatibility with new safety standards from Lloyd’s Register. Other benefits include enhanced structural performance, excellent post-glass-breakage strength and laminate edge durability in the marine environment.

The Ruby Princess, built by Fincantieri at the Monfalcone yards near Trieste, Italy, was christened in November 2008 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida (US), known for an active cruise industry serving the Caribbean. (In 2011, we sailed her and updated our images, shown here).

The $400m ship has a displacement of 113,000 gross tons, an overall length of 290 m (951 ft), a width of 36 m (118 ft) and a maximum speed of 23 knots. There are a total of 1,549 cabins spread over its 19 decks, accommodating up to 4,800 passengers – guests and crew included. Glass balustrades protect balconies on decks 8 to 15, and line the public areas on decks 14 through 18. They are also used as windscreens on decks 16 and 17.

Seen increasingly in the design of many of today’s cruise ships and super-yachts, the use of glass enhances the passengers’ views, provides a sense of openness to the outside, and brings in the natural light and beauty of the sea.

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